I've been trying hard to eat local. To cook as seasonally and as healthily as I possibly can. It's darn hard too! And it seems the easiest way to achieve that, is to develop an apathy for supermarket shelves. So, I spend more time in market stalls. Meeting the hands that have grown the food on our table. I have a huge respect for them and in love with the beautiful produce they bring us each week. I'm so grateful for these passionate farmers and farm shop owners and thankful for their efforts.
I've also developed the habit of looking out for trees on our journeys. So far, I'd know where to get walnuts and figs and blackberries too. Last week, we found a bountiful apple tree, So heavy, it's branches reached the ground. So I made pie! Foraged apple pie, with homemade red gooseberry compote and flavoured it with Vanilla bean and thyme from my tiny urban "jungle". And we ate it while it was pipping hot with a hot cup of Earl Gray.
P.s: I've held onto some apples for a day that perfect for baked apples. I'll sprinkle them with cinnamon and douse them in Moscatel and cream...
P.s: I've held onto some apples for a day that perfect for baked apples. I'll sprinkle them with cinnamon and douse them in Moscatel and cream...
Apple, Red Gooseberry, Thyme & Spelt Pie
Ingredients:
Pastry
280g Spelt Flour
30g Soft Brown Sugar
180g Coconut Butter
5g Salt
60g Icy Water
Filling
6 Medium Sized Apples, Peeled and Sliced
30g Brown Sugar
40g Almond Meal
50g Red Gooseberry Compote
5g Cinnamon poder
3g Nutmeg
2 Sprigs of Thyme
1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
Preheat the oven to 200 degs C.
In a bowl mix thinly sliced apples with sugar, thyme, vanilla bean paste and spice and let macerate for an hour or so. Add almond meal and mix gently.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, coconut butter and salt with the tips of your cold fingers until you get a fine crumbs. Slowly add icy water until you have a soft dough. Cover in film and place in fridge for about 30mins.
Remove the dough from he fridge. Gently pat half of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 3mm thickness and line tart tin. Don't trim the edges just yet. Add the apple filling and gently stir in gooseberry compote.
Roll the other half of the dough and cut into equal sized strips. Weave it over the filling. Cut off excess dough and pinch the ends. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake at 180 degs C for 30 mins or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, or if you're like me, eat warm with a nice cup of tea.
Ingredients:
Pastry
280g Spelt Flour
30g Soft Brown Sugar
180g Coconut Butter
5g Salt
60g Icy Water
Filling
6 Medium Sized Apples, Peeled and Sliced
30g Brown Sugar
40g Almond Meal
50g Red Gooseberry Compote
5g Cinnamon poder
3g Nutmeg
2 Sprigs of Thyme
1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
Preheat the oven to 200 degs C.
In a bowl mix thinly sliced apples with sugar, thyme, vanilla bean paste and spice and let macerate for an hour or so. Add almond meal and mix gently.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, coconut butter and salt with the tips of your cold fingers until you get a fine crumbs. Slowly add icy water until you have a soft dough. Cover in film and place in fridge for about 30mins.
Remove the dough from he fridge. Gently pat half of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 3mm thickness and line tart tin. Don't trim the edges just yet. Add the apple filling and gently stir in gooseberry compote.
Roll the other half of the dough and cut into equal sized strips. Weave it over the filling. Cut off excess dough and pinch the ends. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake at 180 degs C for 30 mins or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, or if you're like me, eat warm with a nice cup of tea.
